Automobile frame



Dec. 27, 1938.

O. B. HARMON ET AL AUTOMOBILE FRAME Filed Dec. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 6055?? AK #400001; 0160M .5 #E/VOA/ ATTORNEY.

Dec. 27, 1938. o. B.- HARMON ET'AL AUTOMOBILE FRAME Filed Dec. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR.

flower A! maomae 052/4 5. law/70M Patented Dec. 27, 1938 PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMOBILE FRAME.

Orlin B. Harmon, Lakewood, and Robert H. Maddock, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to lhe Midland Steel Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio; a corporation of Ohio Application November 23, 1936, Serial No. 112,194 5 Claims. (o1. 280-1065) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automobile frames having an X- shaped member arranged substantially at its mid-section, and an object of the invention is to provide a spring hanger mounted on the frame by attachment to a diagonal of the X-shaped member andto the adjacent side rail and extending beyond the diagonal member to support one end of the spring approximately at a point therebetween and the longitudinal axis of the frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring hanger stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of the application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the-vehicle frame,

Fig, 2 is a side elevational view of the same,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the spring hanger shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spring hanger,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of spring hanger,

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6,

' Fig. 8' is a perspective view of this modified spring hanger,

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of another spring hanger mounted on a frame,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of this spring hanger, and r Fig} 11. is a perspective view of another type of spring hanger;

Referring to Figs. 1 through 5, the numeral 9 designates a frame having a pair of longitudinallyextending side bars or rails I0 which are bowed outwardly from one another adjacent the mid-section of the frame and each is composed of an inwardly facing channel section having a vertical web II, and upper and lower flanges l2 and 53 respectively. The side rails are provided with rear kickups l5 and are joined together by front and rear cross members l6 and ll-irespective-ly. Combined with the front cross member l8 are motor supporting diagonals i8 of channel-shaped section having their flanges nested within the flanges of the side rails l8; and form;- ing a box section therewith. Extendingforwardly from the front cross member l6 are diagonal front braces of channel section having their flanges nested within the flanges of the side rails H3 at the forward end thereof to form the forward ends of the rails into box section. Intermediate the cross members I6 and 11 are additional cross members 2| and 22 secured to the side rails H].

An X-shaped member 25 is disposed approximately at the mid-section of the frame and is composed of a pair of front diagonals 26 and a pair of rear diagonals 21 of channel section secured together at their meeting point by upper and lower plates 28. The forward ends of the front diagonals 26 have their flanges nested between the flanges of the side rails l0 and extend away from the webs H of the side rails, and the rear ends of the rear diagonals 21 have a vertical web 29 and flanges 30 and 3| which are nested between the flanges l2 and I3 of the side railsv l0 and extend toward the webs ll of the side rails. The foregoing parts may be suitably welded or riveted together.

7 Figs. 3 through 5 illustrate a spring hanger stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal and comprises a substantially U-shaped member having a vertical web 36 and upper and lower flanges 31 and 38 which extend toward the rear of the frame. The spring hanger has an enlarged section it, a tapered section ll and a reduced section 42. The enlarged section ii) is of such height that the flanges 31 and 38- thereof nest snugly within the flanges I2 and N5 of the side rails I0 and are riveted or welded to the flanges I2 and I3 as indicated at and 46. Spaced lugs 48 are provided along the webs 36 of the spring hangers and extend'through suitable openings in the webs II of the side rails I!) to be welded to the latter.

The major portion of the reduced, section 42 of the spring hanger is disposed below the horizontal center line of the enlarged section 30 due to the fact that the upper flange 3? is downwardly inclined at a greater angle than the upward inclination of the lower flange 38 Each reduced portion ii projects through an opening 50 in the 31 and 38 of the reduced portion 42 and extend therebeyond toward the rear ofthe frame as shown at 50. The flanges of the spring hanger bearing 53 are welded to the flanges of the reduced section 42 as shown at 51. The spring hanger bearings are provided with holes 58 in their flanges 55 to accommodate a bolt supporting a spring 60. It will be noted that the major portion of the reduced sections d2 of the spring hangers and the spring hanger bearings 53 extend beyond the webs 29 of the diagonals 21, whereby the spring hanger bearings 53 support the front end of the rear spring 60 at a point 7 between the rear diagonals 2? and the longitudinal axis of the frame. The rear end of the rear spring 60 is supported by a hanger 6! attached to the side rails I0.

Figs. 6 through 8 relate to a modified form of spring hanger 65 stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal and comprises a substantially U shaped member having a web 65 and depending flanges 6? and 68 terminating in marginal shoulders 69 and I which span the space between the lower flange E3 of the side rail I0 and the lower flange 3! of the rear diagonal 2?, and are suitably welded or riveted thereto as shown at .12. Spaced lugs 73 are provided along the web 66 of the spring hangers and extend through suitable openings in the web I I of the side rails I0 to be welded to the latter. a

The spring hanger 65 has a portion I of the web 66 downwardly inclined and merges into a reduced section 76 which projects through an opening I? in the web 29 of the rear diagonal 2i and is welded along its web to a flange I8 defining the opening'I'I. 1

Nested within the U-shaped reduced portion "16 of the spring hanger is a spring hanger'bearing 80 also of substantial U-shape having a horizontal web 8i engaging the horizontal portion 820i the web 60 of the spring hanger and has vertical flanges 83 disposed at right angles to the vertical flanges 61 and 68 of the spring hanger. The spring hanger bearing is secured to the spring hanger by welding the adjacent surfaces of the flanges of the bearing and of the hanger as indicated at 85. Each spring hanger bearing is provided with aligned holes $5 in the flanges thereof to receive a bolt for supporting the spring 60. The flanges 88.of the reduced portion iii of the spring hanger are-cut away as shown at 90 to accommodate the end of the spring 60. 1

Figs. 9 and relate to another type of spring hanger 9i stamped out of a single piece of metal and having a rectangular web 92 and a depending flange 03 extending along three sides of the web. The web 92. bridges the space be -j tween the side rail I0 andthe rear diagonal 21 and extends beyond the latter toward the longitudinal axis of the frame. is riveted 'or otherwise secured as indicated at 9 to the bottom surface of the lower flanges of the side rail l0 and of the diagonal 21. A pair of depending ears 95 are provided for connection with the spring as. One of the cars is formed by cutting out a portion 95 of the web The web portion 92 7 It will be seen that the spring hanger SI Fig. 11 illustrates another type of spring hanger I00 comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped piece of sheet metal having a flat web portion or platform I 0| and depending flanges I02 and I03. The spring hanger spans the space between the side rail I0 and the diagonal 21 and extends beyond the latter toward the longitudinal axis of the frame. The web portion I M is riveted as indicated at I05 to the lower surface of the flanges I3 and 3| of the side rail I0 and diagonal 21, and may be further reinforced by a gusset plate I06 above these flanges. The spring hanger has a reduced section I0'I in which is nested and welded thereto an inverted .sub-

claims.

We claim: a

1. In an automobile frame, a pair of side rails of channel configuration, having a web terminating in flanges, a cross member extending at an acute angle thereto for'connecting the same, and a spring hanger spanning the space between 7 one of said side rails and said cross member,

said spring hanger having an enlarged portion nested within the flanges of said one side rail and welded to said side rail, and having a reduced portion extending through and beyond said cross 'member toward the longitudinal axis of said frame and welded to said cross member, and means in said reduced portion for connection with one end of a spring to suspend said spring end between said angularly disposed cross member and the longitudinal axis of said frame.

2. In an automobile frame, a pair of side rails, a cross member extending at an acute angle thereto for connecting the same" and forming a crotch therewith, a spring hanger bracket comprising a body portion secured to one of said side rails and said cross member, said body portion extending across said crotch and projecting through said cross member toward the longitudinal axis. of the frame, said body portion having a pair of flanges, spring hanger means disposed between said flanges and secured to the projecting portion of said body portion and having spring supporting flanges to accommodate one end of a spring substantially between said cross member and the longitudinal axis of the frame. r

'3. In an automobile frame, a'pair of side rails, a cross member extending at an acute angle thereto for connecting the same and forming a crotch therewith, a spring hanger'bracket comprising a body portion secured to one of said side rails and said'crossmember, said body portion extending across the crotch and projecting beyond said cross member toward the longitudinal axis of the frame, said body portion having apair of flanges, one of which is stamped out of the bodyrportion and bent at an angle thereto and the other is formed upon the end of the body portion, and spring hanger means disposed betweensaid flanges and secured to the end flange of said body portion and having spring supporting means. to fasten one end of a spring substantially between said cross member and the longitudinal axisof the frame.

Q 4. In. anautomobile frame, a pair of side rails,

of channel configuration having a web terminating in flanges, a cross member extending at an acute angle thereto for connecting the same, a spring hanger spanning the space between one of said side rails and said cross' member, said spring hanger havingan enlarged portion arranged between the flanges of one side rail, and having a channel shaped reduced portion extending through and beyond said cross member towards the longitudinal axis of said frame, and a bracket mounted in said channel-shaped reduced end and provided with a pair of ears for a connection with one end of a spring to suspend said spring end between said angularly disposed cross member and the longitudinal axis of said frame.

5. In an automobile frame, a pair of side rails of channel configuration having a web terminating in flanges, a cross member extending at an acute angle thereto for connecting the same, a spring hanger spanning the space between one of said siderails and said cross member, said spring hanger having an enlarged portion of inverted channel shape with lateral flanges secured to the lower flanges of one of the side rails, and having a reduced portion extending through and beyond said cross member toward the longitudinal axis of said frame, and means in said reduced portion for connection with one end of a spring to suspend said spring end between said angularly disposed cross member and the longitudinal axis of said frame.

' ORLIN B. I-IARMON.

ROBERT H. MADDOCK. 

